Rock Bottom
by BasiaM82
Summary: She pressed her palms tight against her forehead as if it would somehow push the pounding pain in her head away. Day by day it was becoming clearer: Rogue was losing control and it would only be a matter of time before the inmates took over the asylum.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi there! I've been reading fanfiction for a while now, so I decided I would try it out myself. I greatly appreciate any feedback. I'm not sure if I should leave this as a oneshot, or if I should add a few more chapters. We'll see where my muse takes me! I am not affiliated with anything Marvel and I am not posting this with the intention of getting anything. ****Warning:**** There are some parts in here that are might be a little stomach turning to some. Not violent, but just generally gross**

_**Rock Bottom**_

She pressed her palms tight against her forehead as if it would somehow push the pounding pain in her head away. All of the voices and memories swirled around her head so rapidly that it was hard to focus on any one thought. The headaches were a regular occurrence in her life, but they seemed to be getting progressively worse. The professor had her try various meditation and relaxation exercises to help tame the chaos in her mind, but nothing was helping. Even entering her mind and calming the spirits of those she absorbed only offered temporary relief, and each time they seemed to come back stronger. Day by day it was becoming clearer: Rogue was losing control and it would only be a matter of time before the inmates took over the asylum. Although Professor Xavier and the other teachers at the school tried to stay positive for her sake, Rogue was beginning to lose faith in the idea that she would ever be herself again, much less control her powers.

Rogue dug the heels of her hands harder into her brow. She needed to take something. Maybe with the pain gone, or at least dulled, she could sort out what was going on in her head. She rose from her bed and, taking slow steps, made her way to the bathroom. The movement made her feel dizzy and stirred the psyches up in her head. They got louder and the images whirled so quickly through her mind that she almost forgot where she was heading.

Dr. McCoy had given her a stronger painkiller when over-the-counter pills stopped working. He warned that she should not take more than two at a time, but sometimes Rogue would take one extra when the headaches were really bad. '_I just may need an extra one or two today,'_ she thought as she reached into the medicine cabinet for the small bottle. She had to catch herself on the vanity as the voices got louder for a moment. With shaky hands, she filled a cup with water and opened the pill bottle. She shook two pills into her hand, popped them into her mouth and chased them back with the water. There was another outburst in her mind.

"Maybe just two more," she said shakily to herself. She shook some more pills into her hand and swallowed them with the water. _'There were only two in there right?'_

As if in reaction to her taking the medication, the din in her head got louder as each psyche aggressively tried to make itself heard. Rogue was overwhelmed by the need to make the pain stop – now. _'Just a little more… a little more medicine won't hurt; it'll make it stop sooner.'_ She re-filled her cup and swallowed the tablets in her palm. The empty bottle hitting the floor made a hollow sound as she braced herself against the vanity. She breathed deeply, waiting for the pain to subside so that she could think clearly again. All concept of time was lost amid the silent chaos.

Rogue wasn't sure how long she stood there before a strange combination of numbness and nausea washed over her. Her knees buckled under her and she fell to the floor. She was only vaguely aware of the cold tile against her cheek and the sharp pain in her stomach. With the thick fog over her brain, Rogue's body launched itself into survival mode. Her stomach began to heave, retching its contents onto the floor, onto herself, onto anything that happened to be in the way. The muscles in her stomach continued to convulse, working to expel the poison from within it. All the while, Rogue was barely, if at all, aware of the movements of her body and any of the noises she was making. A distant scream registered somewhere in her brain. It sounded as though it was coming from the far side of the mansion grounds.

"Oh my God! Rogue!" Kitty had heard the sound of someone getting sick in the bathroom from her bedroom. After it had gone on for a while, she decided to check on whoever it was. A shrill scream escaped her lips at the sight of her friend and teammate lying on the floor surrounded by her own vomit. Rogue's eyes were half-open and vacant. She didn't move from her semi-fetal position on the floor. "Rogue? Are you okay? Can you hear me?" Her voice was shaky as she kneeled down and began to reach her hand out to her fallen friend.

The familiar smell of brimstone notified Kitty that Kurt had arrived, no doubt to see what she was the commotion was about. He gasped at the scene before him, "Mein Gott!" Quickly he kneeled down next to Rogue and placed a hand on her shoulder. Rogue began to heave again until green bile spilled from her mouth. Kurt's eyes surveyed the room until they landed on the empty pill bottle on the floor. His eyes widened and his stomach dropped. "I'm taking her to the med lab, now!" he uttered frantically before disappearing with Rogue in a cloud of smoke.

Kitty's eyes moved to the last spot Kurt had looked at before porting away with Rogue. Her hands swung up to her mouth. "Oh no… Please, no."

"Kitty! What's going on?" Logan startled the young girl in front of him. His expression was a mix of worry and anger and his claws were out, ready to attack.

Kitty stood up and spun around to face him, "It's Rogue… she… oh God," a sob caught in her throat as she dissolved into tears.

"Where is she now?" Logan grabbed her by the shoulders and lightly shook her.

"Kurt took her to the med lab."

"Let's go," he said, taking hold of her arm and dragging her away from the gruesome scene. As he ran toward the elevator, Jean and Ororo approached them with concerned looks on their faces. He stopped and gently shoved Kitty at Jean. "Red, take her someplace quiet. Storm, go close up the girls' bathroom upstairs and make sure no one uses it."

"Logan, what's wrong?" Ororo's brow knitted together in confusion and worry.

"I don't quite know the details yet, but I can tell you that it isn't good."

With that, he ran off to the med bay and hoped against hope that it wasn't as bad as he thought it was.

~oOo~

Rogue could sense the commotion around her, but could not describe it if asked. Distant, muddled voices talked over her. Something was being pushed down her throat and it probably should have felt more painful than it was. More voices: these ones louder and more urgent. Through the tingly numbness of her skin, she could feel a rough warmth press up against her face and a hint of a familiar electricity as a blackness overtook her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you to those of you who reviewed and added this story to favourites/alerts. I'm still kind of figuring out what direction to take this story in, but I do have some ideas. I'm debating on which characters I should bring in and how. Please feel free to leave feedback of any kind. Although kind words of encouragement are always welcome, don't be afraid to offer some criticisms about where things can be improved. As always, I am in no way affiliated with Marvel and I gain nothing from writing this story.**

Dr. McCoy had told them that at this point, all they could do was wait. Kurt rubbed his hands over his face as he slumped down into the chair to resume his vigil. She was just as he had left her: eyes closed with a peaceful, but emotionless expression on her face. Her hair had dried in stringy clumps from being rinsed off after her condition stabilized. Her arms rested at her side: pale, gloveless fingers nearly blending into the white sheets of the infirmary bed.

Despite everything that he'd seen, some part of his brain refused to accept that she had tried to take her own life. Having the ability to touch ripped away from her made life hard to live especially when reminders of what she was missing out on surrounded her every minute of every day. But she was strong enough to rise above her hardships. '_Wasn't she?'_

_'Suicide.'_ It was an ugly word that he could not allow passed his lips. Even when Professor Xavier called him to his office to help clarify the situation, he could not bring himself to even imply the possibility that Rogue would try to kill herself. He answered the professor's questions quickly and factually.

_'She was lying on the floor. There was vomit everywhere. I saw an empty pill bottle and immediately teleported her to the infirmary.'_

Let the professor draw his own conclusions.

Kurt's eyes briefly flicked up to the man sitting on the other side of her bed. His arms crossed his chest and his expression gave away no obvious emotion while his eyes stayed focused on her face. Although Kurt could not read his face, he knew, that just like himself, Logan was silently willing her to open her eyes and to explain.

He had arrived in the infirmary a little after Kurt brought her down. He began demanding answers: _'What happened? Was she going to be alright?'_ One look inside that bathroom was enough to tell him a story that he didn't want to believe. Hank was trying his best to stabilize her, but he had no idea how long ago she took the medication or how much was left in the bottle. Logan didn't want to take any chances, especially knowing that there was a way he could help. He pressed his thick, calloused fingers against her cheek and braced himself for the pull. It was faint, but it was there. He only hoped it was enough.

Now he waited. He didn't want to believe it, but all of the evidence was pointing in the same direction. There were no obvious warnings; she had always kept to herself and distanced herself from the others. But there must have been some subtle shift that he hadn't detected that caused her to do this to herself. His eyes narrowed and he stared at her face as if trying to drill his thoughts into her head. '_Why didn't you come to me?'_ His face softened then, and his eyes dropped to the floor. _'Why didn't I reach out to you?'_

~oOo~

Strings of consciousness tugged the black curtain away from her mind. The distinct smell of disinfectant was the first thing she noticed. There was only one place in the mansion that held that sterile odour: the med lab. _'What am I doing here?'_ The last thing she remembered was laying on her bed, nursing a headache while the voices stirred up their own brand of chaos in her mind. The pain was bad, she remembered, one of the worst ones yet. She recalled going to the bathroom and taking some painkillers, but nothing beyond that.

Things were quiet; the voices were still there, but merely a whisper somewhere in the back of her mind. Her abdominal muscles felt sore and her throat burned. She winced as she swallowed.

"Rogue?" a quiet, hopeful voice sounded from her right side.

She lifted her heavy eyelids to see a blue face with glowing, yellow eyes look at her with a mix of concern and relief. Someone on her left shifted and she groggily turned her head. _'Kurt? Logan? What's going on?'_ But when she tried to vocalize her thoughts, all that came out was a barely audible squeak which managed to set her throat on fire. She grimaced and shut her eyes tightly as she waited for the pain to pass.

Kurt took her hand and smiled sadly at her. "It's going to be okay, Rogue. Everything is going to be okay."

"Elf, why don't you go and tell Hank that she's awake?"

Rogue heard Kurt teleport away and turned to face Logan. He placed his hand over hers, but he had a serious expression on his face. It said _'We are going to be having a long conversation in the very near future.'_ She averted his eyes and a feeling of guilt washed over her. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to feel guilty for, but she must have done something to earn that look from him.

"Well, well, it appears that our sleeping beauty has awoken from her slumber," Hank said as he lifted his lab coat off of the hook on the door and proceeded to put it on. "You gave us quite a scare my dear."

Rogue's brow knitted together. She had no idea what the doctor was talking about, though it no doubt had something to do with the look Logan had given her earlier. She tried to ask, but again, her words came out as no more than a painful, airy squeak.

Hank noticed the befuddled expression on his patient's face. "Your throat is probably feeling a little raw. I'll get some water for you to try and sip on. Hopefully it'll feel better once it's been moistened a little." He turned to Logan, "If you'd excuse us Logan, I'd like to give Rogue here a quick check-up to see what the damage is."

Logan grunted and nodded, "Keep us updated Hank." Then his eyes fell on Rogue, "I'll see you later, kid."

~oOo~

Ororo silently cursed Logan for leaving her in charge of damage control. Any event in the mansion, no matter what the size, was a spark lighting a wick that eventually lead to an explosion of rumours and gossip. Although she managed to keep most curious eyes away from the scene, it could not prevent the web of stories being woven at this time by the young residents of the institute. She was assaulted by questions, many of which she could not answer and was thankful when Professor Xavier managed to corral the students away.

Now, the bathroom had been cleaned, and no one would ever guess that anything happened there, but that didn't stop the odd student from walking in to look for clues, anything that was missed in the clean-up that would confirm or deny any of the rumours floating around the institute. Ororo sighed as she saw another student walk up the stairs after announcing their need to use the washroom. She pinched the bridge of her nose and sent up a silent prayer that this would all blow over soon. She walked over to the reading room in the hopes of finding some peace and quiet. She found three sombre students waiting silently for news about Rogue. Kitty sat on the couch, hands in her lap, clutching a tissue. Her eyes were downcast and her body leaned slightly against Jean who held an arm around her shoulders. Jean's eyes looked off into the distance, the side of her head resting on Kitty's while her other hand gently squeezed the top of the once bubbly girl's arm. Scott stared out the window, forehead resting on his arm.

**BAMF!**

The silence was broken and all eyes looked anxiously at the figure surrounded in brimstone scented smoke.

"She's awake!"

Everyone visibly relaxed and relief washed over their faces.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello all! Sorry this took a little while to get posted. Thank you, thank you , thank you to everyone who continue to support this fic! It makes me all warm inside to know you enjoy it :). It's another chapter without much exciting action, but I hope it holds your interest all the same. (I suck at writing action sequences but I will try to challenge myself at some point in this fic) Also, I had some trouble with getting the characters right in this chapter. My first draft had Rogue acting more like "Movie Rogue" (timid, whiny – not a huge fan of "Movie Rogue") so I needed to toughen her up a little. Let me know where you think I need to improve on the characterization or dialogue. As always, any feedback is welcome. The next instalment might be a little while as I have to do a little character research and fine-tune the plot for this story. Disclaimer: I am in no way associated with Marvel and I gain nothing from writing this story.**

_She walked down the empty, dimly lit hallway. Each footfall was punctuated by a 'click' that echoed until eventually fading away. The walls and floor were a cold, grey colour and the ceiling flickered and buzzed with broken fluorescent lights. There were no doors or windows, just a straight, long corridor that seemingly lead nowhere._

_"Hello?" she called out. "Where is everyone?" She stopped and put her hand up to the wall and studied it as if hoping to find some sort of secret passage, "What is this place?" Turning her head back to the direction she was travelling in, she squinted as she noticed a door far down the hall and to the left. She slowly pivoted her body and cautiously continued down the hall._

'_Click, click'_

'_Click, click'_

_She continued on until she reached the door. She grasped the long, thin, silver handle, turned it downward and pushed it open. Only two paces into the room, she stopped to take in her surroundings. On the right side of the room were three, long, metal… tables? No, they weren't flat like a table but bowed lengthwise in the centre. Above each table was… was… a hose of some kind? She took a few more steps inside and took in the wall of square doors to her left. Her chest tightened as the realization of what this place was set in. _

"_A morgue," she whispered. Just as the words escaped her mouth she stepped in something wet and slippery. She froze, moving only her eyes downward until she could see no more without willing her head to follow. She stifled a scream when she beheld the sight before her._

_The figure lay on its side, tightly curled up. Boney, ashen fingers covered its face. Suddenly, its body convulsed and made a choking sound as its hand moved away, exposing a streak of white hair. The body began to uncurl and its head turned to face the frightened girl with vacant, unseeing eyes._

Kitty gasped as she lurched up in bed. Her breathing was quick and irregular and her body was damp with sweat. "It was just a nightmare," she whispered. She ran shaky hands through her hair and sobbed.

~oOo~

Rogue leaned her forehead against the white tile as a hot spray of water rained down on her. Her shower was done, but she needed a moment. A moment to…. what? Prolong the inevitable? To brace herself for the conversation she was about to have? Sighing, she pushed herself off the wall and turned the water off. She wrung her hair out and reached out of the shower stall for a towel. Stepping out onto the cold tile floor reminded her why she hated the med lab so much. The stark white walls, metal cabinets and counter tops – it was all purely functional and lacked the comforting warmth of home. Once she was able to talk again, she began inquiring about why she was in here. All of the answers she received were vague.

_"Why don't we wait until we meet with the professor and then we can start to figure things out,_" Dr. McCoy said after she relentlessly prodded him with questions. _"We all have a few questions that we want answered."_

Rogue dressed and pulled a brush through her hair. Taking one last look in the mirror, she inhaled deeply and left the infirmary bathroom. She found Dr. McCoy hanging upside down, reading through some papers. He lowered the papers from his eyes upon hearing her enter and flashed her a grin. "Feeling better?" he said in his usual, jovial voice.

"Better than I was, yeah," she replied, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She wanted nothing more than to just go back to life as usual.

"Well then, if you're up to it, let's go see the professor in his office."

_'Do I have a choice?'_ she wondered internally. On the outside though, she just nodded. The big, blue, furry man called up to the professor to announce they were on their way up. He then opened the large steel door, stood to the side, and extended his free arm out.

"After you, my dear."

Rogue offered a weak smile and slowly, almost grudgingly, stepped through the door.

~oOo~

"I know what it looks like, but I refuse to believe it. It just ain't in her."

"Logan, how can we deny what is in front of our own eyes? The evidence leaves little room for speculation," Ororo countered.

Logan crossed his arms and focused his eyes on the white-haired goddess. "Darlin', in our line of work how often are things exactly as they seem?"

"Be that as it may," she mimicked his posture, "we can never assume what one is or isn't capable of until it's been attempted. Look, every part of me wants to dismiss the idea that Rogue would intentionally harm herself, but despite the lack of obvious warning signs, we can't write off the obvious."

Logan anchored his hands onto the armrests of the chair and leaned forward. "Rogue might not be happy about the cards life's dealt her, but she's no quitter."

"To deny a possible suicide attempt can be more harmful than to acknowledge it," Ororo bit out, narrowing her eyes. "I, for one, do not want to see her try it again."

Logan's mouth twitched into a sneer as his fingers tightened on the armrests. He was fighting the instinctual, rage-triggered urge to bare his claws and slice straight through the professor's desk. Something, besides the obvious, was off about the whole situation. He could not possibly the the only one to see that.

Professor Xavier audibly cleared his throat. Both sets of eyes snapped in his direction. "Out of respect and fairness to Rogue, perhaps we should hold back on any theories and judgements until we hear what she has to say." His lips quirked upward at the sheepish look on the faces of his charges. Closing his eyes, he extended a welcome to the pair approaching his study.

_"Hank, Rogue, please come in."_

"I hate when he does that," Rogue grumbled under her breath as Hank pulled the large, mahogany door open. He held his arm out toward the entrance, inviting her to go in first. Despite the relaxed postures and neutral facial expressions of the room's occupants, a thick, heavy tension hung in the air, like steam in a sauna. It pushed on her as she hesitantly stepped through the doorway. Taking a seat between Logan and Ororo, she tried to discretely fill her lungs with air in an effort to squelch the growing ball of nerves in her stomach. She didn't have to move her eyes from her lap to know that all of the eyes in the room were on her. She forced herself to look up . Professor Xavier offered a smile that was meant to be comforting.

"Good morning Rogue, how are you feeling today?" The professor always started these kinds of discussions with idle chit chat as if to ignore the elephant in the room for a bit before addressing it. If it was meant to take the edge off the situation, it wasn't working.

"I'm fine I guess," Rogue replied, voice still a little scratchy.

"Would you like some water?" the professor asked.

"Uhm, sure… thank you."

"Rogue, I'm sure that you're a little confused about why we're all here right now."

_Hello elephant, nice to meet you,_ Rogue thought, humourlessly.

"I apologize for keeping you in the dark, but as you'll soon find out, this is a delicate situation and I want to make sure we had the whole story before drawing any conclusions," he explained as he poured water into a glass. He placed it on the table in front of her. "Although Hank told me that you don't remember much about the incident, I still thought it would be best, perhaps, if you begin by telling us what you do know."

Rogue took the glass from the table and sipped from it. Her eyes swept over the people in the room. Both Hank and Ororo offered encouraging smiles while Logan held her eyes for a moment before giving a slight nod. Her eyes dropped down to the glass that she now held in her lap as she drew a long breath in through her nose, and let it escape from her slightly parted lips. "I had a headache," she began. "It was a pretty bad one; I couldn't really concentrate on anything I tried to do."

"Was is the phsyches again?" the professor asked.

Rogue nodded. "After I'd had enough, I went to the bathroom to take some of the painkillers Dr. McCoy prescribed for me."

"Do you remember how many you took?" Hank asked.

"Two at first..."

"At _first_?" Hank interrupted.

_Ooh, boy. Strike one for Rogue_, she thought before continuing, "Yeah, the headaches have been getting worse lately. Sometimes when they're really bad, I take an extra one or two."

"Rogue, I specifically told you when I gave you those pills not to take more than two at a time. How long has this been going on?" Hank's face betrayed the concern he felt.

"A little over a month I suppose."

Logan's face tightened. "Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"I thought I could just handle it on my own."

"By disobeying doctor's orders? By over-medicating yourself?" Logan was visibly agitated.

"Logan, please," Professor Xavier shot him a stern look. _'Let her finish before you fly off the handle,' _he scolded telepathically.

Ororo pulled her eyes away from Logan and back to Rogue. "How many more did you take?"

"Just two."

"Are you sure?" Ororo probed gently.

Rogue stiffened, raising her guard. The question had undertones of mistrust sprinkled with... accusation? She forced her face to remain impassive. "I'm sure," she stated solidly. "I mean I know I was a little hazy, but I've _never_ taken more than two extra."

Hank, Ororo and Xavier shared a look while Logan's eyes stayed firmly on Rogue. The awkward tension suddenly felt heavier. It pressed on her chest and wrapped itself around her throat. "What's going on?" she forced out as strongly as she could manage given the extra effort that was now required for her to breathe. The voices in her head began to murmur, adding to the confusion in her mind. "What aren't you telling me?"

"Rogue..." Ororo moved to place a soothing hand on her knee.

"No!" Rogue spat out, jerking her body away from her. "I've told you everything I know, now it's your turn to tell me exactly what in the hell is going on here!" Her eyes darted from face to face until finally settling on Logan, meeting his eyes defiantly.

He held her gaze steadily and almost smirked. Her response confirmed what he was thinking all along. "Kitty went to check the bathroom after hearing sounds of someone getting sick," he began. "She found you lying on the floor. We were downstairs when we heard Kitty scream. Kurt 'ported up right away to help. He teleported with you to the infirmary, but not before finding an empty pill bottle on the floor."

Rogue closed here eyes as she let Logan's words sink in. The spinning feeling in her head and the buzzing in her ears was made worse by the sudden increase in volume in her head. She pressed one palm into her forehead and pulled it down her face letting her fingertips rest on her cheek while the other hand held the still-full glass of water. She let out a sigh. "So y'all think that I tried to kill myself," she stated bluntly.

"Not all of us darlin'," Logan placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Rogue, you overdosed on painkillers. We couldn't rule it out as a possibility," Hank tried to reason with her. "Especially since there appeared to be no other possibilities for us to consider."

"Which leads us to the question," Ororo interjected, "what is this other possibility?"

Rogue's head was starting to throb again. Each voice fought to be heard above the rest of the noise. Memories that weren't hers flashed in her mind's eye: some overlapping and twisting together. She clenched her jaw as she tried to push down the chaos in her mind. Her hands began to shake as they clenched around the glass of water that she forgot she was holding on to.

"Rogue!"

The professor's voice cut through the din and Rogue's eyes snapped back into focus. Her breaths were quick and her body trembled. She didn't notice that her hand was empty, or wet, until she looked down to find shards of glass in her lap. She looked up and frantically at the worried faces that surrounded her.

"I think we may have our answer," the professor said, gravely.

_No, no,_ Rogue thought, _not again._


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi all! Thanks so much to everyone who read and to everyone who was kind enough to leave a review! I'm trying really hard to respond to reviews individually, but if I miss responding, please don't get offended. Just trust that I am super appreciative of the time you took to read my story and to leave a comment about it.**

Also, thanks to _**random girl**_** for pointing out the error in chapter 3. I'll get on fixing that when I've got a chance. Just a little heads-up: this story takes place kind of at the end of the last season. And because there really isn't any more reference material from the show as far as plot goes, I will be borrowing elements from the comic books to help this story along. To my knowledge, the villain I've chosen for this story has never really had much of an interest in Rogue, but I'm going to just continue with my idea anyways. *flashes the "creative licence"* **

**I have to say that this chapter racked my brain until my ears bled and I'm not terribly sure how happy I am with it. As always, let me know what you think and where improvements can be made! **

**Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with Marvel and I gain nothing from writing this story.**

His lips screwed up into a twisted grin and a short, low chuckle rumbled from his throat. "An intriguing development indeed," he mumbled. Although he was not as powerful a telepath as Charles Xavier, what he lacked in ability he made up for in intelligence and cunning. There were a couple of students at this school that piqued is interest and he managed to monitor them without raising the slightest suspicion. Since the resurrection of Apocalypse though, there was one more student who had earned his attention. After all, anyone powerful enough to be the key to raising En Sabah Nur was certainly worth studying.

The lack of any further displays of her powers in the last few months was a little discouraging. He began to question his earlier theories about the girl, but now, his patience was finally starting to pay off. Her powers were getting stronger, and harder for her to control. He doubted that Xavier had the resources, or even the courage to do what needed to be done to help her gain control. _Luckily, I don't have the same high moral standards that he does,_ he thought to himself. His grin parted and grew into a toothy, predatory smile. Of course, this was just the tip of the iceberg, and he would have to wait a little longer, but patience was an abundant resource when the reward was big enough. He would watch her spiral out of control and become desperate. She would be more likely to accept his offer then.

~oOo~

The force of Rogue's back hitting the mattress forced the air out of her lungs. Eyes closed, she inhaled deeply and held her breath for a moment before opening her eyes and exhaling. She stared at the ceiling as she assessed her current situation. She felt like a mental patient: freedoms stripped away and extra eyes watching her all for '_her own protection,'_ of course. In an effort to, as the professor put it, ' better understand the situation and prevent this from happening again,' the adults came up with and imposed a new set of ground rules, just for her. _Don't I just feel so special,_ she thought, bitterly.

The daily sessions with the professor were pretty much a given. They were also the least bothersome of the new rules she was to follow. All forms of medication, prescription or otherwise, was confiscated and to be administered by Dr. McCoy when she needed them. She really didn't have a lot of meds, but it seemed silly and so utterly pointless to go to the doctor for something she was perfectly capable of handling on her own. She was also forbidden from leaving the mansion grounds unaccompanied. So much for her days spent reading in the park. But the worst of it was that she was being forced to give up her private bedroom, and move back into the shared space with Kitty. She tried arguing that one into the ground. Her room was nearby and anyone could easily check on her if they suspected anything was amiss. But all of her pleas fell on deaf ears and she was now lying on the same bed she occupied over a year ago.

To top it all off, Kitty was acting strangely toward her the whole time she was moving her belongings back in. It shouldn't have been a surprise, since it was Kitty that found her on the bathroom floor that day. Rogue sighed and sat up. Kitty's behaviour around her was just a preview of how everyone else in the mansion would soon be like when she was nearby. Hopefully the professor's talk with the students will squelch some of the rumours that were, no doubt, already floating around the school, but Rogue wasn't too optimistic about that. Most of the students would be keeping one eye on her just to see if she'd hurt herself, or anyone else again. Rogue rubbed her temples in an effort to soothe the dull ache in her head.

~oOo~

Professor Xavier decided it would be best to address the senior x-men before talking with the rest of the student body. As her teammates and friends, they were likely closer to Rogue and entitled to some more detailed information that the rest of the students weren't. He briefly observed each of them before starting. Kurt was fidgety and anxious; Kitty's eyes were downcast and she appeared uncomfortable; Scott sat rigid and kept his face impassive; and Jean face was soft, but etched with worry.

"We have had a chance to discuss the recent incident with Rogue and clarified some of the details of what happened," the professor began. All eyes locked on him, waiting for him to continue. "Despite what we've seen or heard, it appears that Rogue did not, in fact, intentionally try to harm herself."

"So then, what really happened?" Kurt piped up.

"We believe that she was not completely in control of herself when she overdosed on the medication."

"What do you mean 'not completely in control of herself'? Was someone else controlling her mind?" Scott asked, confused.

"In a manner of speaking, yes. But her mind wasn't being controlled by external forces, rather by the personality imprints already within."

"That means that her psyches are trying to take over again," Scott stated.

"It appears that there is a risk of that happening again, but I am unsure of the reason. It's possible that her powers are evolving, but we don't have any evidence to support that."

Kitty sat quietly through the whole exchange. The day she found Rogue was burned in her mind and haunted her sleep. She had yet to witness someone's death, and this came way too close for comfort. The thought that she had done it to herself was unsettling enough, but the idea that the ghosts in Rogue's head had forced her hand was down right frightening. Now having her back in her room felt like an extra weight on her shoulders. She wanted to help Rogue get better, but if anything happened in their room, Kitty would feel the most at fault for it because she wasn't watching close enough. She bit her lip as the meeting wore on.

"So what are we doing about this?" Scott asked.

"Much to Rogue's chagrin, we have arranged things so that it will be easier to monitor her should her psyches surface again," the professor explained. "She is to see Dr. McCoy if she requires any kind of medication, and is not to leave the mansion grounds alone. We have already moved her back into Kitty's room so that someone is there with her at night. I will also be working with her every day to make sense of the chaos in her head."

"What do you want us to do?" Jean asked.

"The best thing you can do is be her friends and offer encouragement and support where you can. As difficult as it all is on us, it's weighing heavily on Rogue, whether she admits it or not."

The four nodded silently.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi everyone! I have to apologize for how long it's taken me to update this story. Truth be told, I'm still not 100% sure of exactly where I want this fic to go, but I think I'm getting closer. We're still a little on the slow side action-wise, but I will hopefully be building up to something a little more interesting soon. LAME ALERT! I kind of wrote myself into a corner when I had Kitty begin to avoid Rogue after finding her in the bathroom. Since that didn't really fit in with my plans anymore, I had to find some way to get out of it. So, there is a reconciliation in here that might be seen as being a little on the cheesy side.**

**HUGE thanks to everyone who's reviewed and continues to support this story. Honestly, it was you that convinced me to try to see this through to the end. Again, if I miss responding to your review, then please don't get offended. And, as usual, comments and criticisms are always welcome.**

**I am in no way affiliated with Marvel and gain nothing from writing this story.**

Logan watched her for a moment from the library door. She sat curled up on the bench in the curve of the large, bay window with a novel in her hands. Her eyes weren't focused on the page, but at some point just above the book. An exasperated sigh escaped her lips as her face crumpled up into a grimace and she reached up to rub her forehead with her fingertips. Although he understood, and mostly supported, the new rules Professor Xavier imposed on Rogue, he was beginning to wonder if these restrictions weren't just causing her to retreat into herself even more.

"Everything okay, kid?" he asked as he walked further into the room.

She looked up, slightly surprised, and then composed herself quickly. "Fine."

"Your headaches must be getting better. Hank said that he hasn't seen you in his office for two weeks," he said, giving her a knowing stare.

"Nothin' I can't handle."

Logan sighed dejectedly. There was no way she was opening up today. "Dinner's almost ready. You comin'?"

"Recreation time over already?" she said pseudo-sweetly and raised her hands up in front of her.

"Cut that out," he rolled his eyes.

"Is Kitty cooking? 'Cause if that's the case, I think I'd rather be sent to my cell without supper."

"No Kitty isn't cooking, and quit acting like you're a prisoner. You don't have to stay on the grounds all the time. You can go anywhere you want as long as you bring someone with you."

"Well I'm not really a fan of supervised outings," she raised her eyebrow.

A frustrated growl rumbled from Logan's throat, "Just get downstairs before I show you what real punishment is in the danger room."

"Sure thing boss," she mock saluted on her way out.

Logan watched her retreating form and sighed. Somehow, despite Professor Xavier's attempt at controlling the situation, he had a feeling that something bad was on the horizon, and that if they weren't careful, Rogue might catch the brunt of it.

~oOo~

Rogue found a seat in the far corner of the dining hall. Although most of the excitement about her incident had settled down, she still heard the occasional hushed whispers as she passed students in crowded settings like this one. Placing a hand on her forehead, she stared at her plate and willed the food on it to disappear. There was an odd combination of hunger and nausea swirling around in her stomach that made the food appetizing and completely revolting at the same time. She wasn't sure if it was just her, or the conflicting psyches in her head.

Her headaches had become worse and more frequent, but her pride refused to allow her to see Dr. McCoy. She was old enough to take pain medication herself and shouldn't have to have it administered to her like a child. _Or like a mental patient,_ she thought to herself. Besides, if the pills weren't working well enough before, it wasn't likely that they'd help much now. Instead, Rogue chose to put up with the pain, telling herself that it would only make her stronger somehow.

"Hey Rogue!"

Rogue internally groaned. She was hoping no one would find her, or at least get the hint that she wanted to be alone.

Kurt sat down next to her, followed by Jean, Scott, and Kitty. Kurt placed his tray down and turned to face her. "So, how's your day been?"

"Fine," Rogue tried hard to swallow the annoyance her voice.

"That's good," Kurt answered, seemingly oblivious to her mildly clipped tone. "Hey, do you have anything going on tonight?"

"I dunno, my calendar's been pretty much booked solid," Rogue answered dryly.

Jean spoke up, "The four of us were going to catch a movie later tonight. We were wondering if you wanted to come along."

"I'm not sure…"

"Oh come on Rogue!" Count on Scott to be the one to go into lecture mode. "You've been cooped up in here for two weeks. Just because you can't leave the grounds by yourself, doesn't mean that you need to hide in the mansion until..."

"What Scott's trying to say," Jean interrupted him, casting a stern look his way," is that it's been a while since we've all hung out. Kurt remembered you saying something about wanting to see this movie, so we thought you'd like to come."

"Right…" Rogue's eyes flicked briefly at Kitty who refused to meet her gaze before quirking an eyebrow at Jean.

"Well I, for one, think it's an excellent idea," Ororo said, walking up beside the group. "And I think the professor with think so too." She turned to Rogue, "As a matter of fact, I think he would _insist_ upon it."

_And they keep trying to tell me that this __isn't__ like prison,_ Rogue thought with an eye-roll. "Well I guess it wouldn't hurt to numb my brain in front of a giant screen rather than the smaller one in the rec room."

"That's the spirit!" Kurt exclaimed, earning a few odd looks.

"Great, it's settled then," Jean clasped her hands together. "We'll meet in the foyer at eight. I'll drive us in my SUV."

"I'll see you guys then I suppose." Rogue rose from her chair and began to walk toward the exit.

"Wait! What about your dinner?" Kurt half stood from his chair.

"You can finish it if you want, I'm done with it," Rogue called back.

Kurt's glanced down at the untouched plate and crinkled his brow in concern. "I just wish I knew what to do to help her."

Ororo placed a hand on his shoulder. "The professor is doing all he can for now. The best you can do is be her friends whether it looks like she wants it or not. She may get angry, but in the end she'll appreciate the gesture."

"I guess so," Kurt sighed. "It's just hard when she's always pushing us away."

"Well, then I guess we just have to push harder," Scott said. "I mean, there's four of us and only one of her. I'd say the odds are on our side."

~oOo~

_"I wonder if I've got enough money for that dress …I hope she really liked the gift and wasn't just being polite…Oh man! If I fail another chemistry test I'm going to be in serious trouble…Where did I put those shoes? I swear they were just here…"_

Rogue clutched her head tightly as she fell to her knees. A few stray tears spilled down her face as she fought to push back Jean's (or was it Xavier's?) powers. Her stomach lurched and she grasped the sides of the toilet seat as she heaved. Because of her empty stomach, nothing came up, but her body continued its efforts to purge itself of some imaginary poison. After a few minutes, the feeling passed and she toppled over sideways onto the floor. The cold tile against her cheek was oddly comforting as she closed her eyes and struggled to catch her breath.

On shaky limbs, she managed to stand and hold herself up against the vanity. In the mirror, she saw her makeup was smeared and she had tiny, faint dots under her eyes. Sighing, she let her head hang for a moment before pushing off the sink and turning toward the shower. She wondered how much longer she would be able to keep what little control she had over the constant uprising in her mind. Having adjusted the water temperature and undressed, she stepped into the shower and began to scrub what was left of her makeup off of her face. Her hands paused over her eyes and she collapsed to the floor in a fit of sobs.

~oOo~

Kitty stepped into the bedroom and allowed herself to fall back on her bed. She felt bad that she hadn't been able to look Rogue in the eye since that day she found her in the bathroom. She truly wanted to be a supportive friend and help her through this like the others were, but every time she looked at her, fear stabbed at her gut. Fear from the images burned into her mind from that day; fear from the nightmares that came afterward; and biggest fear of it all happening again and not being able to stop it. She knew it was irrational to think that if she avoided her everything would be okay. She knew that Rogue needed a friend more than Kitty needed to nurse her fears, but when it came time to do it, she always lost her nerve.

Hearing the door to the bedroom open, Kitty looked up to see Rogue. Despite the fact that her fresh makeup and damp hair clearly indicated that she had just cleaned up, her slightly slumped posture and worn face made her look like she'd just trudged through Hell. Kitty wasn't sure if it was just because she'd seen her skip dinner, but she could swear that Rogue was looking a little thin. All at once, all of those reasons that Kitty had for avoiding Rogue seemed so trivial compared to the need to help her get better. She felt a guilty for not seeing beyond herself sooner. _But just feeling guilty never solved anything,_ she thought.

"Hey," Kitty softy spoke up.

Startled, Rogues head snapped in Kitty's direction. "Hey," she answered, face softening a little.

"Look, I know I've been a little… _distant_ lately…" Kitty began.

Rogue waved her hand dismissively, "It's no big deal." She tried to brush it off, but it was obvious that the conversation was making her uncomfortable.

"No, it is a big deal." Kitty chose her next words carefully. If there was anything that made Rogue shut down, it was insinuating in any way, shape, or form that she was not capable of handling things on her own. "I shouldn't have spazzed out like that. I mean we're friends and we've shared a room before. There's no reason that sharing a room now should be so awkward. Anyway, I think I'm over whatever I was spazzing about, so maybe we can start acting a bit more like friends again and not like strangers who share a room?" Kitty looked at Rogue hopefully.

Rogue shook her head and let her lips lift into a small smile, "Kitty, you just wouldn't be Kitty if you didn't spazz out on a regular basis. But it would be nice for things to be a little more relaxed around here."

Kitty smiled at the whisper of the old Rogue surfacing, if only for a moment. After a moment of comfortable silence she spoke, "Well, it's getting close to eight; we should go meet the others." She watched Rogue deflate slightly. "Oh come on, it'll be fun. Besides, we're actually going to a movie you want to see for once."

"I guess."

Kitty stood up, grabbed Rogue by the arm and began to drag her out of the room, "Besides, it's too late to back out now. Jean's already ordered the tickets online."


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi everyone! New chapter ready to go. Thanks so much to everyone who is reading this story! Your kind words, feedback, and even adding this story to your alerts/favourites keep me writing. Hopefully I managed to reply to everyone's review this time. If I haven't, then please accept my thanks here for leaving a comment. **

**One quick not about this instalment, I know that in the Evo-verse Rogue has never absorbed Logan. In the comic books however, I'm pretty sure he's the first one who willingly gives her his powers so that she can heal herself. If you want, you can assume she's absorbed him while under control of Mesmero (right before she awoke Apocalypse) or I'd like to think that he probably helped with her healing process sometime after "Self Possessed". **

**As usual, I am not affiliated with Marvel and do not gain anything from writing this story.**

It was by pure luck that Jean managed to find a parking spot so close to the movie theatre on a Friday night. And, if anyone asked, it was also pure luck that the driver on the other side of the parking lot somehow completely missed the opening. After all, she, of all people, would never stoop to using her telepathy to project an image of a car in the vacant space for the other driver, causing him to drive straight by it. The corner of her lip turned up into a barely noticeable, self-satisfied smirk. She slid her eyes over to Scott briefly. Although she could not see his eyes, she could tell he was giving her a side-ways look. The slight flex of the muscles near his cheekbone and jaw gave it away. Her grin widened just enough for him to notice and he let out a silent sigh. _"Oh, don't be such a stick-in-the-mud,"_ she projected to him, still smiling.

If the three in the back were aware of the couple's exchange, they didn't let on.

"Kurt!" Kitty shrieked as the smell of brimstone filled the air. She yanked on the door handle and stepped out of the SUV, waving the odour from her face. "At least you could have waited until we opened a door!"

"Sorry, force of habit I guess."

Rogue ignored the quarrel as she made her way out of the vehicle and followed the others. The maelstrom in her brain was picking up again. She pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes, briefly letting her other senses take over navigation of her body.

"Rogue! Come-on! The sooner we get inside, the better chance we have of getting decent seats!" Kitty called from the theatre doors.

Rogue snapped her head up and realized she was lagging much further behind than she thought. She didn't respond, but quickened her pace and walked through the door that Kitty held open for her. Upon entering, she felt like a sensory bomb had exploded in front of her. The loud hum of chatter from the crowds of people was accented by various "zaps", "boings", and "bops" emitting from the arcade games lining the walls of the lobby. Flashing lights also coming from the games, as well as various other moving lights and screens with fast, action sequences flickering on them invaded her vision. The odour of popcorn, pizza, nachos, and other greasy movie theatre fare tainted her oxygen and threatened to suffocate her. _Maybe this wasn't such a good idea,_ she thought as a familiar queasiness settled in her gut. She had somehow managed to navigate the human obstacles and get into line with her friends. No sooner had she come to a stop, that she felt hands on the front of her shoulders.

"Rogue?" Brown eyebrows stationed above red lenses quirked up in concern. "Are you sure you're alright?"

For a second she just stared wide-eyed at him before finding her voice, "I…yeah…I'm fine."

"Look, I know what I said earlier, but if you really feel like this might be too much for you, we can always go."

Her eyes narrowed slightly in annoyance, "Why don't you guys ever take my word for it? I've taken on Apocalypse, I'm pretty sure I can handle a noisy movie theatre."

Scott sighed, "Look, I didn't mean…. What I'm saying is you seem a little… out of it. And as important as it is to get out of the mansion once in a while…" Scott blew out a frustrated breath. "Just, promise that if you really feel like you need to leave, tell us and we'll go. No questions asked."

Rogue rolled her eyes. For someone who was supposed to be the brave leader of the X-Men, he could be such a mother-hen sometimes. She pushed Scott aside and handed her ticket to the attendant, proceeding down the hall to their designated theatre.

Jean looked around the relatively empty theatre and decided on the last five seats in a row toward the top of the centre bank of chairs. Although they usually liked to sit toward the middle of the row, she thought Rogue might be more comfortable at the end with only one person sitting next to her. She turned around to signal to the rest of the crew that she'd found some seats when she saw Rogue's tense form stalk up toward the steps with Scott a few seconds behind her. Jean fought the urge to slap her palm into her forehead. _"What did you say now?"_ she projected at Scott.

_"Nothing,"_ he responded through their psychic link. _"All I told her is that if she feels like she needs to leave to let one of us know."_

_"Right,"_ she responded dryly.

The group claimed their seats and Kurt, Kitty and Scott left for the concession stands back in the lobby. Jean looked over at Rogue, who had her arms crossed, and her feet pressed up against the empty chair in front of her. She wanted to smooth things over with Rogue for Scott, but couldn't figure out what to say. _'Sorry, my boyfriend can lead a group of mutants into battle, but just doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut sometimes'_? No, she knew that it was likely best just to let her stew about it on her own. Besides, she had a feeling that whatever Scott said wasn't at the forefront of Rogue's mind right now. Although her brow was crumpled, and her jaw was tight, it didn't appear to Jean that Rogue was angry. Maybe it was just another headache that Rogue always refused to admit she had. Her thoughts were interrupted by the return of the other three.

Rogue lowered her legs as Scott approached their row. He had a large bag of popcorn and a bucket-sized drink with two straws – presumably to share with Jean. Kitty held a smaller bag of popcorn and a slushy drink, while Kurt's arms were almost comically full of movie theatre treats: a large bag of popcorn with a bucket-sized drink, a tray of nachos with extra cheese, and a cinnamon and sugar, soft pretzel. He plopped down next to Rogue and promptly offered her some of his nachos.

"Uh, thanks, but no thanks," Rogue declined. The theatre was beginning to fill-up and chatter, along with the rustle of bags and other food containers snuffed out the silence that Rogue found refuge in only moments ago. Her head was pounding and she wanted nothing more than to be back at home in her room. Although Scott had told her that she could leave whenever she wanted, the stubborn side of her refused to show her friends that she was as weak as they thought she was. Besides, to leave now would only put a damper on at least one other person's night, if not everyone's since it wasn't likely that they'd let her go home by herself. She just needed a minute - just a minute to clear her head and then she would relax and watch the movie with her friends. She rose from her seat, "I'm going to the bathroom. Be right back."

Scott watched Rogue sprint down the steps and disappear around the corner. He turned to Jean, "Maybe you should go with her. Just to make sure everything is okay."

"Scott! She's not a little girl, and she's perfectly capable of going to the washroom, of all places, on her own."

"Yeah, take it easy mien freund," Kurt jumped in. "It's bad enough she thinks we treat her like a prisoner at home. How do you think she'll feel about 'supervised bathroom breaks' out in public?"

"I just have a bad feeling," Scott defended himself. "Something seems off about her today."

"She's going through a tough time right now. As much as we all want to be there to help her, we can't coddle her. If anything it'll just make her push us away even more," Jean soothed.

"Tell you what," Kitty piped up, "if she's not back in ten minutes, I'll go in and check on her."

Jean nodded, "And I'll even go with her. This way, if something is wrong, I can contact you guys telepathically and we can get her out of here without drawing too much attention."

Scott sighed, "Alright, alright. But ten minutes, no more."

"Deal," Jean agreed.

Rogue pushed open the door to the stall and locked it. She slumped her back against the cool metal and drew in a deep breath, releasing it slowly through her mouth. Her knees were feeling shaky and her head was spinning. There was an odd itch on the tops of her hands that was gradually morphing into pain. "No, no, not again," she mumbled. Her knees gave out and she managed to manoeuvre herself so that she landed on the toilet seat instead of the floor. Her upper body slumped forward and she held her head between her knees. Her breaths were coming faster as she ripped off her gloves when the burning in her hands became unbearable. She let out an audible gasp as three, bone claws erupted from the taut skin between her knuckles on each hand. She stared, terrified as the skin around each claw healed. "I can't go back out there with these," she whispered to herself and concentrated on hiding the claws. She fought through the bedlam in her mind to find out how Wolverine retracted his claws. Suddenly, and painfully, the claws snapped back under her skin. The strain was too much and Rogue tipped sideways until her cheek came to rest on the wall of the stall and darkness clouded her vision.

_"Anna,"_ _an unfamiliar voice whispered_. _"Anna Marie…"_

_She opened her eyes to find herself lying in on a grassy patch, next to a pond. It looked a lot like one of her favourite spots back in Mississippi. She sat up and raised a hand to her head._

_"Anna…"_

_She whipped head around to find the source of the voice._

_"Anna Marie, come this way…"_

_She stood and headed in the direction she thought she heard the voice coming from._

_"That's it, you're getting closer."_

_Her legs broke into a jog. She stopped as she reached the opening to a dark forest. Narrowing her eyes, she peered into the shadows between the trees for any clues as to who was calling her. _

_"Just a little further," the voice whispered again._

_Rogue took slow, guarded steps into the forest, keeping her eyes moving around her surroundings._

_"Almost there…"_

_She stopped when she noticed three spots of red in the corner of her eye. She turned to get a better look. A large, figure that resembled a man stood in the shadows. It was too dark to distinguish any of his features except for, what she could now identify as, glowing red eyes and a red, diamond-shaped mark on his forehead._

_"Ah, Anna Marie," the voice drawled out with and eerie pleasantness, "So nice to finally meet you. I've been watching you for some time now, and I have to say, I'm very impressed."_

_"Who are you? What do you want with me?" Rogue tried to keep her voice strong._

_He let out a patronizing chuckle that sent a sickening shiver up Rogue's spine. "You're finding yourself in a bit of a bind with those powers of yours aren't you? They're growing along with the rest of you, as is to be expected in someone your age of course."_

_"Who are you and what do you want with me?" Rogue repeated with more force._

_"Oh Anna," he clicked his tongue, "don't you see? Professor Xavier hasn't been able to help you all these years because he doesn't know the first thing about your powers. Powers like yours are special and require extra attention – attention that he simply does not have the time to give you. I, on the other hand know exactly how to help you control and make the most of your abilities. I can help you experience not only physical contact again, but full control over all the abilities you acquire whenever you need them."_

_"Yeah, and at what cost? People like you don't do things like that out of the kindness of your heart."_

_"There is very little you know about me, Anna. But, you are correct; I would require something in return for my efforts…"_

_"Well it doesn't matter, 'cause I ain't interested."_

_"Hmph," his lips twitched up into a grin, "maybe not yet. But I think that soon you will realize that you may not have another choice."_

Rogue's head snapped off the side wall of the stall and she sucked in a lungfull of air. She rested her hand on her forehead as she tried to make sense of what just happened. Her headache was still there, but the voices were oddly quieter than usual. She pulled on her gloves and decidedn to test the strength in her legs by pushing herself upward. Leaving the stall and making her way out of the bathroom, she wondered how long she had been in there. Looking forward, she saw Jean and Kitty walking briskly in her direction.

"Rogue? Is everything okay?" Kitty asked, stopping in front of her.

"You've been gone ten minutes," Jean stopped beside Kitty.

"Yeah… I'm fine. Headache just got to me a bit, but I think it's okay now."

"Are you sure? Because we can…"

"I'm sure. Really, I'll be alright. Now let's go. Has the movie started yet?" Rogue said, leading the girls back to the theatre.

"Are you kidding? They've barely started the previews! By the time the actual movie starts it'll be twenty minutes after it _supposed_ to start," Kitty said, falling into step with Rogue.

"Yeah, they have to show their pre-preview commercials after all," Jean joined in. She wasn't convinced that everything was as _fine_ as Rogue let on, but she'd let it go for now. They brought Rogue out for a _normal_ night out, and trying to get her to open up now wasn't worth spoiling the evening. She would try to talk to her later, or maybe tell the professor, but right now, she was just going to have a little fun, and make sure the others, especially Rogue, had fun too.


	7. Chapter 7

**Okay, so I suck. Not only have I waited way too long to update this, what I do have isn't all that exciting. I'm really worried that this fic is getting a little tedious to read. I wonder how many people are thinking "Get on with the GD story already!" and please understand that I'm trying, but this is taking longer to set up than I originally thought it would. **

**Thank you so much to everyone who's been sticking by this story! I didn't have time to get to review replies, but I will try in the next little while. But in case I don't, please accept my thanks here for taking the time to leave a review. And also thank you to everyone who has added this story to their alerts and favourites.**

**I'm not sure when the next update will be, but hopefully it won't take too long. **

**Just a little note about this chapter: as a rule for myself, I don't do songfics. I have nothing against them and there are really good ones out there, I just try really hard to say everything I need to say in the narrative and dialogue of the story. That being said, I still sometimes really wish that I could throw a soundtrack in somehow. So if anyone feels like playing along, the third division of this chapter onward was inspired by the song "Sleeping Sickness" by City and Colour. If you've never heard it before, I strongly recommend youtube-ing it and giving it a listen. **

**Enjoy and leave a comment if you have the time. Oh and see if you can pick up on the lame, but unintentional, pun in here. I discovered it as I was reading it over, and decided to keep it in, just for kicks.**

**Disclaimer: see one of the previous chapters.**

Rogue lay in her bed that night thinking about what happened at the movies. That sugar-coated cyanide voice still haunted her and drew a shudder up her spine every time the memory of it echoed in her mind. _Who was he and how did he get into my head?_ Some of the psyches were afraid of him too; she could tell by the way they quieted after he left. An anxious murmur replaced the angry clamour that usually crowded her thoughts long enough for her to enjoy the movie and make it back home. During the psychicly-induced meeting he remained in the shadows, so she didn't see much of his physical appearance. All she remembered were two, glowing, red eyes with a similarly glowing red marking centred above them and pearly-white, pointed teeth gleaming through that twisted grin: the disembodied face of a demon-like Cheshire cat. He obviously had some kind of telepathic ability, but Rogue had a feeling that he was capable of much more than he'd shown her. Then there was his offer: complete control – over her skin and over the psyches. She knew better than to trust snake oil peddlers of any kind, but some small part of her couldn't help but be tempted to see what he could do for her.

The question now was what should she do about this? Should she tell the professor? He would no doubt want to take a look at her memories. If this person was really as dangerous as he seemed, that could mean even more restrictions on her freedom. It was a juvenile thought, she knew, but with every liberty lost, she could almost feel the strangling hold of insanity grow tighter. She feared that they would place her under constant watch, forever scrutinizing her every move for any sign that she might be controlled by this mystery presence. At the same time, if she didn't tell anyone, Rogue could find herself being used as a puppet in some mad man's scheme and people could be hurt. _Maybe he won't be back._ Rogue, knew this was wishful thinking; he had made it very clear that he fully expected her to come to him when she got desperate enough. That disturbed her too. He must have been watching fairly closely to know what she was going through right now. But how did he do it without being detected? Logic screamed at her to tell the professor everything and to get help – freedom be damned! But logic wasn't winning right now. After mulling it over, she decided to wait and see if he contacted her again, and to see if she could learn more about this mysterious being before telling Xavier. It was risky, but she promised herself to tell at the first sign that things were spiralling beyond her control.

She turned off her bedside light and pulled the covers over herself, sending a silent (and likely futile) prayer up to anyone who would listen that she have a dreamless, peaceful sleep tonight.

~oOo~

He slammed the envelope down on the table-top and met the eyes of his _employer_ while keeping his hand pressed against the manila package. "I got what you asked for," he clipped off.

The man behind the desk grinned, "Excellent work, that took less time than I thought it would." He reached for the envelope only to have it dragged away from him. He looked up, eyes narrowed, silently demanding an explanation for such insolent behaviour.

"This is the last one," he stated, hand pressing firmly on the precious paper. "My debt is paid; I don't owe you anythin' anymore."

"Is that so?"

The envelope glowed as sparks of energy crackled off the surface. "It is if you ever want to see what's in this envelope."

The man rested back in his chair and almost laughed, "I assure you that this brazen front you put up is neither intimidating nor convincing." He waved his hand and shook his head as he leaned forward again. "Suppose you do incinerate those documents, not only will you incite my ire, but you would be destroying the form of payment that you insist should be the one to liberate you from my employ. It would be like burning a bag full of the bail money that's supposed to get you out of jail: you'd still in my debt and possibly owing more for keeping me from some very important information."

The younger man clenched his jaw and flexed his fingers. The red in his eyes almost glowed with anger and frustration. He was trapped in a corner and he knew it. Grudgingly, he absorbed the charge from the envelope.

"That's a good boy," the older man cooed in his condescending tone as he reached for the envelope. When it was in his hands, he peeked inside to confirm its contents. "Very nice," he drawled. "As usual, you do excellent work."

Unable to stand being in his employer's presence anymore, the young man wordlessly turned on his heel and began to stalk off toward the exit.

"Oh and Remy," he called from his desk, "this may have been enough to pay the debt you owe," Remy stopped abruptly and jerked his head to face him, "but I haven't decided whether you've compounded enough interest to warrant another task." His mouth curved up into a sickening grin. Remy whipped around and with fists clenched at his sides, hurriedly stomped out. "I'll be in touch!" he declared before a low, sinister laugh bubbled up from his throat.

~oOo~

_ A sudden weight on her ankle caused a ball of horror and panic to explode in her belly. Before her brain could instruct the rest of her body to react, she felt the same heaviness clamp down on the rest of her body. There were voices: an eerie cacophony of whispers, screams and laughter. _

"_She's a danger."_

"_A menace."_

_The mass pressed down harder, effectively paralyzing any attempt at escape. Heavier, heavier, the burden bore down on her compressing her abdomen, chest and throat. _

"_Her lack of control will kill someone."_

"_She needs to be taken care of."_

_Something she could only describe as an imaginary layer of saran wrap clung to her face sucking into her airways as she tried to breathe. _

"_We must remove the threat."_

"_It's the only way."_

_Her throat hitched and convulsed as her lungs fought desperately to fill themselves with oxygen. Her throat produced gargly wheezes as a pressure began to build up in her head and chest. Although everything was already dark, she could feel a different kind of darkness seep into her vision. She was dying, and there was nothing she could do about it…_

With an audible gasp, Rogue sat up in bed. Once the disorientating effects of the nightmare subsided she looked to the other side of the room at Kitty's bed where the girl slept seemingly undisturbed. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to fall back as she caught her breath. After a while, her nerves had quieted somewhat, but she was still too agitated to sleep. Sitting back up and tossing her legs over the side of the bed, she stood up and gathered some clothing from her dresser before heading off to the bathroom for a shower.

~oOo~

There was nothing different about that day, yet for some reason Scott's attention was drawn to an ordinary occurrence as if it were deviating from the daily routine. Things seemed that way a lot lately… at least with regards to one of his teammates in particular. Rogue trudged into the kitchen, dragging her feet and wearing her usual morning scowl that he swore was specifically designed to frighten anyone away from starting a conversation with her at this time of day. As if on autopilot, she retrieved two waffles from the freezer and tossed them into the toaster before pouring herself a cup of coffee. She took a sip and closed her eyes while heaving a big sigh and allowing her body to slump back against the counter. He took this moment to study her a little more closely. She looked exhausted, and yet, she was one of the few up early on a Sunday. She'd chosen not to apply her makeup today – a decision she was making more and more frequently it seemed. Shadows oozing from under her eyes stood out more prominently on her naked visage and the soft, natural pink of her full lips faded to nearly blend with her milky skin. The aubergine, off-the-shoulder top she wore might have fallen off if it wasn't for the long sleeves and, he noticed, her collarbones seemed to jut out a little more sharply. The popping of the toaster bid her eyes to open as she pushed herself off the counter and placed the waffles on a plate. Coffee and dish in hand, she sluggishly moved to the other end of the table he was sitting at.

He assessed the risk for a moment before speaking, "Rough night?"

She looked up as if startled by his presence. Her face relaxed and then turned back to her mug as she nodded her head once. "Mm hmm," she uttered before lifting the mug to her lips.

He hadn't expected more than that out of her, and her body language didn't emit any hostile vibes, so he decided to press a little further, "I was wondering what you were doing up this early on a Sunday. Even most of the early risers take today to sleep in." He drank from his own mug.

"If that's the case then why are you awake? Dream up a new danger room sim program to test out on us poor suckers?"

He chuckled lightly. "I'm not always in 'Cyclops: leader of the X-Men' mode you know," he said in mock offense. Her smile was weak and the airy laugh unconvincing, but not in a rude or dismissive way. Rather it seemed the pathetic laugh and smile was all she was physically able to muster up. He shrugged, "I guess I just wake up when I'm not tired anymore. My internal clock won't let me get any more sleep than I need."

She turned back to her breakfast and for a moment he swore that he saw her supress a sigh. She looked at him again and tried her best to mask her sadness with a smile. "Well, I'm going to go for a walk," she said as she rose from the table. She drained the last of her coffee and picked up her plate.

"You want some company?"

"Thanks, but no. I kinda like to enjoy the quiet of the grounds before the others get up. Gives me a few moments where I don't have to worry about bumpin' in to someone by accident."

He just nodded in understanding and watched her place her dishes on the counter next to the sink before walking through the door. His eyes drifted over to the waffles that lay intact on the plate.


End file.
